My Breezy Cardigan is finished! I had some definite doubts along the way. Though I should have learned my lesson about crossing my fingers and holding my breath while pretending I had enough yarn for a project…I did not. At least with this project I anticipated this at the beginning and ordered another ball from Hazel Knits. I had three, but the small size takes 1300 yards, so I needed just a bit more. I weighed my remaining ball and had 49.5 grams, so I used almost exactly 1400 yards total.
The color is Hoppy Blonde and I adore it. It also makes me want to have a delicious beer because I’m thinking about hops.
It helps to have a decrepit-looking shed in your yarn for the “rustic” photos.
Hazel Knits doesn’t use dye lots, and I got the first three balls back in July for my birthday, so I knew it was a very slim chance that they would have anything from the same batch. Of course they did not. The fourth ball looked a lot more like a curry color. I decided that I wouldn’t stripe it in, since I was knitting both sleeves a time (by the time I considered striping) and juggling four strands is a pain. I ran out of the third ball on the sleeves, so the ball of a different dye lot became the final ribbing around the fronts and collar. You can really see the contrast on the blocking board here:
I knitted. I fretted. I convinced myself it would be ok. I fretted some more. I knitted some more. The colors are quite different if you’re looking for it. I read about overdyeing. I kept knitting. And then I finished.
Matt had been assuring me the whole time that the color difference wasn’t a big deal. I took it to knit night last Thursday to chat with some knitters. They assured me it looked purposeful and stylish.
Now I am in love with the sweater. It is comfortable, easy to wear, has long fronts that can wrap around Zooey to keep her warm if I wear her in the Ergo carrier, and I don’t mind the color difference at all. If it didn’t feel like it took 1000 years of knitting stockinette and ribbing, I would immediately cast another one on. I guess I’m always knitting some kind of endless stockinette project, so that’s no matter. I probably will make another one at some point though, with four balls of yarn in the same dye lot.
Astute readers may notice that I’m wearing the same clothes in my Minimalist pictures. Yep. There are only so many moments to spare while the baby naps. We took these pics two weekends ago.
I knit the 34.75″ bust size since I would be using superwash yarn, which has a tendency to groooooooooooooooooow when you block it. It did grow some, but I smooshed it into place as much as I could while blocking. I think I got an extra inch in the bust and a bit of extra length. I don’t mind having either. This piece is like a cardigan that mated with a small blanket and I think that’s fantastic.
it’s very very cute and the color’s amazing!
Love it! It looks so cozy and the color is wonderful!
Very pretty and it does look comfy!
No wonder you’re smiling … the cardigan is beautiful and I bet you’re going to pull this comfy and stylish piece on regularly!
That color is really your color. Beautiful.
I like it, and the slightly contrast-y collar. This makes me excited to cast mine on… I have a purple merino/cashmere blend waiting for this exact sweater.
Beautiful. You inspire me to get my needles out! popping over to check out the pattern. TFS.
gorgeous! and everyone’s right – the color difference looks intentional – and wonderful!
I totally agree- it does look purposeful! And it is an amazing cardigan. Congrats!
I LOVE this! It’s sooooo cute! The color difference definitely looks intentional.
A cardigan that mated with a blanket, huh? That sounds ideal! It has been so chilly in Toronto lately that all I want is to be snuggled up all the time. Sigh. The colours are great and while I did spot the difference, I thought it looked intentional – call it ombre if anyone asks 😉
Ohhhh me likey. I want one! -Nizzy
Love that sweater! I just started trying my hand in knitting… I’ve made a blanket that started out as a scarf and a scarf that was originally meant to be a blanket… at the moment making another blanket, not sure what it will end up being yet 😉 I can only get better! So excited to find this blog! Off to read some more 🙂
I just nominated you for a versatile blogger award. I tried to ping back to this post. It appears to have monumentally tanked, but the link still works so yay! Thanks for the great blog!
I’m flattered! I’ve done one of those before, so I think I’ll hold off this time. Thank you so much.
Way cute! I totally didn’t even notice you’re wearing the same clothes 😉
Il est magnifique……